trade between Brick and Antelope Valley

Brick needing to upgrade the shortstop position dealt the following players Derek Hanson SP Miguel Hernandez 2B and Wang 3B to Antelope Valley for Rich Chase 2B/SS ....this move improves both are defense ans offense at the shortstop position all three players became expendable with the recent free agent signings....Chase only 27 cements the infield quite awhile ...youth is now served at second and shortstop plus with Santiago coming back in 3 weeks he well slot right in to rotation

Raptors Announce 4 Player Trade with Brick

The AV Raptors pulled the trigger on a 4 player trade with the Brick Barracudas.  Heading out of the AV is long time infielder Rick Chase for 3 prospects:
SP Derek Hanson (27 years old)
2B Miguel Hernandez (23) and
3B Tzu-hsia Wang (24)

"We hated to part ways with Rick", said Raptors GM Bill Sauerwald.  "But Brick came in with really good offer at a time we were looking to get younger.  In addition to adding some much needed pitching depth, we really like the potential of Hernandez and Wang - especially Hernandez's speed and defense.  They will probably slot into AAA, at least when we break camp.  But I think both can be contributors by the end of this year or early next."

"Rick's been a solid contributor since we drafted him in 2025", continued Sauerwald, "batting .280 for us over the past 5 years.  But with our team in a slight rebuilding mode, we felt it best for the fans to bring in some youngsters who may be ready in a year or two."

(Nearly) Free Players!

I have quite a few players who are out of options and probably not going to make my team. I will end up waiving and designating them for assignment, so if you want, they'll be free to claim soon.

But, if you aren't high on the waiver list, and don't want to risk having them claimed by someone else, I'm offering them for trade now. They are:

• C: Jesus Flores
• IFs: Adrian Sanchez, Garry Nicholson
• Ps: Paul Reed, Kwang-Sub Kim, Jim Knowles, Sergio Lujan

I'm not looking for much in return for the above: a mid-round draft pick or a 1-2 star prospect that catches my eye, maybe.

Additionally, I'm shopping the following players who are going to otherwise make my team, or still have options to go to AAA:

• C: Steven Broadbent
• IFs: Tokuma Kanno, Javier Cisneros, Javier Ortiz, Ieyasu Suzuki, Jonathan Locker, Jesus Mejia
• OFs: Ramon Gonzalez, Alejandro Garcia, Julio Quintana, George Candler, Jose Molina
• Ps: John Ryan, Steve McClain, Ben Cloherty, Julio Lopez

I'm also open to trading prospects like Juan Velez and Elwood Bolden. Let's make a trade this weekend. 

Spring Training Week 4 Done - Opening Day Approaching!

Game Date:  Mar 24 2031

Signings:  

Maui 3B Antonio Venet (extension) 6 yr/$57.3m
Seattle RF Hector Pena (extension) 1 yr/$510k
Seattle 3B Charles Cluett (extension) 1 yr/$520k
Brick SP Joong-guen Yi (extension) 8 yr/$187m!

Significant Injuries:
None

Commissioner's Note:  Please note that we are getting close to Opening Day.  The next sim will be the final full week sim of Spring Training.

Really Tough Trivia Question:

(since no one took a stab at it last time, you get the same question :)  :p  )

There is only one player who has exactly the same number of hits for a franchise as the number of games he played for that franchise (with a minimum of 1000 games for that franchise).  Who is the player and which team?

Example:  Carlos Delgado played 468 games for the New York Mets and has 468 hits for the franchise.  But only person has done it with a minimum of 1000 games.  Who is it?


Next Sim:  Sunday night

Spring Training Week 3 Done!

Game Date:  Mar 17 2031

Signings:
Mepkin Abbey signed C Brian Walker (Houston), 1yr/$570k
Appalachian signed 2B Michael Lambert (extension), 1 yr/$2.9m
Mepkin Abbey signed RP Carlo Humphrey (Maui) 1 yr/$760k

Significant Injuries:
Atlanta 1B Roberto Gonzalez has a strained quad that will cost him about four weeks.

Really Tough Trivia Question:

There is only one player who has exactly the same number of hits for a franchise as the number of games he played for that franchise (with a minimum of 1000 games for that franchise).  Who is the player and which team?

Example:  Carlos Delgado played 468 games for the New York Mets and has 468 hits for the franchise.  But only person has done it with a minimum of 1000 games.  Who is it?

Next sim:  Thursday night.

Spring Training Week 2 Sim Done!

Game Date:  Mar 10 2031

Signings:
Mepkin Abbey signed C David Hamilton (Brooklyn) 1 yr/$3.5m
Houston signed 1B Howard Rogers (Wilmington) 1 yr/$1.3m
Mepkin Abbey signed 2B Richard Bender (Atlanta) 1 yr/$2.8m
Houston signed RP Matt Mathews (Mepkin Abbey) 1 yr/$570k

Commissioner's Note:  Did you know that today is the league's birthday?  It's been fifteen years since we started!  That has to make us one of the longest running leagues in OOTP history.

Next sim:  Wednesday night

Happy Birthday To Us. 15 Years!

When I first started this league, I don’t think I ever imagined that we’d still be playing fifteen years later.  And, yet, that’s exactly what has happened.

It was fifteen years ago today, Nov 27, 2002, when I started a thread in the Straight Dope Message Board asking if there was anyone interested in starting an Out of the Park League.  It took a few days, but we eventually found eight people to take the plunge, purchase the software and set up the league.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  Now, fifteen years, thirty seasons and four additional franchises later, we’re still here, having fun.

I happen to like the way our league is built and the people that we have in it. Yes, we’re not the most active or flashy league out there - but I like that about our league.  We’re having the fun of running a baseball franchise without having to worry about three sims a week or deciding how many feet away the right field fence should be.  We don’t get bogged down into a morass of rule lawyering and we find ways to resolve disputes and problems quickly and fairly.  We simply have the fun of the game, without having to devote fifteen to twenty hours a week to it.  It’s just a friendly, easy going league -- and I like that.

I find it amazing that not only are we still here fifteen years later, but that four of the original eight owners are still here and have participated in every one of our 29 seasons to date. Michael, Mack and Will -- thank you for staying with me all these years as we continue to play season after season.  Matt, Bill, Nate, Fred, Brian, John and Tom - some of you have been here for many years, some of you are relatively new, but I've enjoyed having every one of you in the league with us.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my co-commissioner Michael for all of his help. I could not continue this league with him.  There have been times of late that I have simply not been up to the task of running the league and Michael has always been there to help pick up the slack. In addition, he's been a tremendous help in running the league, coming up with rule ideas and doing the many things that it takes to help keep this league running.  His assistance, insight and attention to league matters has been invaluable and is deeply appreciated.  

I also want to thank Mack for his assistance in keeping the statistical history of the league.  I know that if I ever need to get details about the ancient early years of our league, I can turn to Mack and his spreadsheets for help.  

I’ve had a blast running this league for the last fifteen years -- and I’m looking forward to continuing to do so for many years more.  Thank you all for being along for the ride - I could not do it without you.

Zev